The lack of UMA is actually the main reason I have not bought the 9900 yet. There is so much speculation on this, and I am hoping that it does get it via a software update. Nobody seems to know for sure. On two separate occasions, I have spoken to T-Mobile business reps, and was told that the 9900 does not and never will support UMA. Good thing I don't put much weight in what the reps say, since my golden retriever usually knows more about technology than they do. But I am also not willing to shell out $300 for a device that might not get it. In the end, if I cannot get a new flagship blackberry device with UMA, I don't have a whole lot of reason to stay with T-Mobile. Sure the prices are great, but having the features I need on the devices I want is more important.

The lack of UMA is actually the main reason I have not bought the 9900 yet. There is so much speculation on this, and I am hoping that it does get it via a software update. Nobody seems to know for sure. On two separate occasions, I have spoken to T-Mobile business reps, and was told that the 9900 does not and never will support UMA. Good thing I don't put much weight in what the reps say, since my golden retriever usually knows more about technology than they do. But I am also not willing to shell out $300 for a device that might not get it. In the end, if I cannot get a new flagship blackberry device with UMA, I don't have a whole lot of reason to stay with T-Mobile. Sure the prices are great, but having the features I need on the devices I want is more important.

Same here, without UMA I will just have to hang on to my 9700 a bit longer. I have purposely not gone to the T-Mobile store, I have not seen a 9900, I have not touched a 9900, because I know I will be tempted, but I just have to wait for UMA.

The device will receive an update sometime in Q4 that will enable both WiFi calling and Hotspot for wireless tethering. But it will not be UMA. The main difference is UMA was capable of seamless handoff to the mobile network when moving away from the WiFi source. The WiFi calling that will be enabled will be the same that you see on the android devices T-Mobile offers, which works only on WiFi but not handoff to the mobile network.

I spoke to someone in the tmo retentions department and she said they are "expecting" a new release of software which will add UMA and mobile hotspot functionality to the 9900.

However, she did not know any time frame and she was not definitive about this.

So fingers crossed that she's correct.

Actually a friend of mine at TMO, who is a store manager, should be document that was from Corp and RIM stating that during the next OTA (over the air) update that hot-sport and WiFi calling will be enabled. No date was given but he suspected between the end of Q2 and the begging of Q3.

Actually a friend of mine at TMO, who is a store manager, should be document that was from Corp and RIM stating that during the next OTA (over the air) update that hot-sport and WiFi calling will be enabled. No date was given but he suspected between the end of Q2 and the begging of Q3.

Not to worry about the UMA but that is a long time to wait foe the hotspot.

The UMA link doesn't say anything about hand offs. Um.... It also says that wifi works on GSM but on the link above that.... it lists the 9930 which is on Sprint and Verizon.... I guess it won't do UMA???

Late Q2 or early Q3 2012? That is hard to believe (or more accurately, I don't want to believe it will take that long!).

I spoke to yet another customer retention rep - this one said they haven't seen any confirmation of a commitment from RIM to deliver UMA and/or mobile hotspot, but this one did confirm yet again that they "expect" a new software release that will enable both. This one said there is an "expectation" that it could be in November (which to me makes a lot more sense than Q2 or Q3 next year when RIM will be trying desparately to get their first QNX phone ready for launch.

The device will receive an update sometime in Q4 that will enable both WiFi calling and Hotspot for wireless tethering. But it will not be UMA. The main difference is UMA was capable of seamless handoff to the mobile network when moving away from the WiFi source. The WiFi calling that will be enabled will be the same that you see on the android devices T-Mobile offers, which works only on WiFi but not handoff to the mobile network.

This guy is totally right, UMA software update will be released in November (testing for that software is done in October and release date is 6 weeks after) but it will only be a soft app... The 9900 comes with HSPA+ chip that DOES NOT support seamless handoff so you will never get the same UMA functionality as on the 9700 or 9780. My brother works at T-Mobile and was in charge for the whole UMA project from A to Z since it came out yrs ago.

Will it be full UMA, or will it be GAN-lite wifi-calling with no handoff??

Mine now has no handoff. I move away from the wifi signal or I lose it and I drop the call.
To the person who asked for pics, umm, not sure I can do that. It would identify me rather easily. I have no reason to lie, nor do I get anything out of lying.

Mine now has no handoff. I move away from the wifi signal or I lose it and I drop the call.

That's kind of a bum deal, hopefully they will continue to work towards getting it to support the handoff to the mobile network. If there's no support for it in the chipset, then I guess that's the way it will always be, but hopefully it can eventually handle UMA just like the older devices did.

Mine now has no handoff. I move away from the wifi signal or I lose it and I drop the call.
To the person who asked for pics, umm, not sure I can do that. It would identify me rather easily. I have no reason to lie, nor do I get anything out of lying.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

For ME, that is good enough since I really only use wifi calling when I travel abroad. Still disappointing, however, is that RIM cannot seem to get it ALL right. I mean, this is such a beloved feature by those who use it. And RIM has been set apart by the only phone producer that has implemented it so well in the past, so why would they eliminate it from their flagship handset? It just doesn't make sense.